The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has revealed that two industry leaders will be inducted into the Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame this October at the NFRA Convention. This year’s honorees are Joey Bates, senior director of store development and strategy – construction, maintenance and market refresh at Matthews, N.C.-based Harris Teeter, and Tom Robaczewski, the retired director of sales at Horsham, Pa.-based Bimbo Bakeries USA.
The Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame was established by NFRA in 2010 to honor individuals whose passion and leadership have furthered the refrigerated foods industry. Inductees are recognized for their enduring contributions to the category and efforts to support the trade association’s mission.
Bates has more than 30 years of experience in the grocery industry, having held leadership roles in store operations, merchandising and brand development. Since joining Harris Teeter in 2001, he has overseen such categories as grocery, dairy, frozen foods, beverages and bakery, and was dairy category manager and director of private brands.
A longtime advocate for the refrigerated category, Bates played a pivotal role in rolling out innovative products and bringing emerging brands to Harris Teeter stores. He was on the NFRA board of directors from 2013 to 2023, chaired the Refrigerated Food Council from 2021 to 2023, served on the new member committee, presented to the Small Business Council, and helped launch the NFRA Convention’s Speed Meetings. Bates is also a member of the Honorable Order of Golden Penguins.
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For his part, Robaczewski has more than 40 years of experience in the grocery industry, encompassing retail, brokerage and manufacturing. He spent 23 years at Dominick’s Finer Foods, including 13 years as a buyer and category manager, before transitioning into brokerage for 14 years, during which time he first became involved with NFRA.
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